A/N. Hello everyone! I'm baack! So, here's the first chapter of the sequel to Sitting At A Coffee Shop With Captain America. This is now going to officially be called the Coffee With You series because it's much shorter :P SOrry this chapter's so short btw, I wasn't really feeling it this week. I'm sure that will change tho. Enjoy! :D
Disclaimer - I do not own the Avengers or anything or anyone else familiar to the MARVEL universe. Tania is my OC, and this plotline belongs to me.
Chapter 1
There was a flash of bright light that blinded her momentarily. But when the spots were gone her smile was still plastered on her face, her arm still around his waist. She prayed that she hadn't blinked. She leaned over towards his ear and grinned for the cameras while she whispered.
"Steve, are you sure about this?"
He squeezed her waist affectionately in response and nodded to one of the cameraman as they took another photo. "No." he replied honestly, whispering through gritted teeth. "But it was bound to happen." They were blinded yet again and barely had a second to recuperate before the next one came. "How long do we have to this?"
She shrugged. "Don't look at me, you're the famous one."
"Tania-"
"It's Tony Stark!" someone shouted, and soon everyone's attention was diverted from the newest power couple of Manhattan and they both breathed sighs of relief.
Having just publicly introduced their relationship, on a red carpet no less, Tania and Steve were emotionally drained. They were glad when Tony's black stretch limo pulled up just a few feet away. It gave them time to breathe.
Happy jumped out the driver's side of the vehicle and ran around to open the door for the occupants. Tony stepped out first, wearing sunglasses at such a time of night. At first, Steve thought he was either stupid or drunk, but the cameras flashed and he waved, unaffected, he suddenly wished that he had a pair as well.
Pepper appeared next, taking her boyfriend's offered hand and addressed the paparazzi politely and with dignity. They held hands as they walked and Happy shut the door behind them, heading back for the steering wheel.
The newest arrivals were bombarded by interviewers and reporters, so Steve and Tania turned and finally entered the hotel. Once they stepped inside it was one giant ballroom cleaned and shined immaculately to Pepper's preferences. It was perfectly round and bright and the floor looked like it was made for dancing.
Hundreds of people milled about, drinking, eating, chatting, dancing sophisticatedly had they been taught how to do so. It was a black tie event, so everyone was dressed to the utmost glamour – even the Avengers.
Steve was dressed in a black Armani suit with a white shirt underneath and no tie. Tania wore a dress for the first time in a long while. It was a light pink that fell to her ankles with a slit up the side to just above the knee. It was one-shouldered and glittery and was probably the girliest thing she had ever worn, including her prom dress. She had been against it at first, but Pepper had somehow convinced her into buying it and now here she was.
She couldn't deny that the colour looked really good on her, as did the dress itself, but pink still irked her to some degree. But she figured she could ignore it for one night.
Her hair had been done up and a complicated up-do similar to the one she had made for Pepper at the party Tony had first thrown her. Her makeup was minimal but present none the less. She wore a silver chained necklace, a silver bead bracelet and the ring she always wore that she twisted around her finger should she get nervous.
When Steve had seen her he had been breathless and thanked the Lord that he had managed to have her be his. And now they entered the party arm in arm, and headed straight for the buffet table of fancy food neither of them had ever heard of and probably couldn't pronounce.
Tania grabbed the first thing she saw and popped it into her mouth. Steve hesitantly did the same. After a few minutes of conversing, Steve swallowed nervously and held out his hand.
"Would you… like to dance?" he asked hesitantly. Tania stared at his hand blankly for a second. After their little lesson in the gym the day they made up from their fight, they hadn't really tried again. Dancing was something extremely symbolic to the two of them. It meant that Steve had finally found the right partner, and that it wasn't Peggy. To do it in public would only further cement their newly found relationship.
Tania smiled and slid her hand into his. "Of course. You could use the practice."
He laughed lightly and led her onto the dance floor where they spent the next half hour, happily swaying to the music as she taught him more and more steps.
The sound of someone tapping a spoon on a glass reverberated throughout the room and the couple turned to face the stage at the far end of the room. Tony was standing in front of a microphone stand and tapping the glass to get everyone's attention. The crowd eventually settled down and it was mostly silent in the ballroom.
Tony cleared his throat. "Thank you all for coming to my annual Stark Gala. And yes, this IS the second one this year, but this is a very special occasion. My pal Rhodey over there," Tony lifted his index finger from the glass he was holding to point to Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes who was sitting a table among some other people. Rhodey stood up and waved to the audience as they applauded. Tony continued his spiel, "just finished his… whatever-th year of service that I'm too drunk to remember." The crowd laughed right on cue and he smiled cheekily before continuing. "Not only that, but it's his birthday today! WOOT! Normally I wouldn't be having such a stuck-up formal party and have you all dressed up in monkey penguin suits, but Ms. Potts convinced me. So, here we are, and I would just like to say," he raised his glass, "Happy Birthday Rhodey. You deserve it. Cheers!"
"Cheers!" The crowd echoed, raising and clinking their glasses and taking swigs. Tania knew that she would have a major headache the next morning, but it was worth it to enjoy tonight.
Once Tony descended the stage, the people swarmed around again, creating a sort of calm chaos as music from the orchestra began to play again. The billionaire led his military friend over to Steve and Tania, who were sitting at their table with the rest of the Avengers.
"Guys, this is Rhodey. Rhodey, the guys."
Everyone at the table rolled their eyes, especially Pepper. Steve, ever the gentleman, stood up first and shook his hand. "Pleasure to meet you. I've heard a lot about you, Lieutenant Colonel."
Rhodey nodded in appreciation. "Thanks. It's an honour to meet you in the flesh as well, Captain."
Tania stood next. "Hi. My name is Tania Banks, head of the Marketing and Advertising Department at Stark Industries."
They shook hands. "I hear you're also Captain's girlfriend."
Tania blushed. "Yeah." She sat back down and went to grab Steve's hand and lace their fingers together, only for him to try and go hand in hand. They ended up fumbling awkwardly until they ended up hand in hand and blushing profusely.
Rhodey raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. Instead, he turned to Thor. "And you must be the mighty God of Thunder."
Thor stood to his full height, towering above Iron Man's "sidekick" and grabbed his hand, shaking it up and down vigorously. "Tis always a pleasure encountering a friend of Stark's."
Rhodey nodded. "I'll have you know I'm his only friend."
Tony scoffed. "Uh, I'll have you know that I have plenty of friends."
"Name five."
"Well, you, Pepper, Happy, Bruce-"
"So, your girlfriend, your chauffeur, and your teammates?"
"Well… yes."
The entire table chuckled amicably as Tony fumed. Ignoring him, Bruce decided it was his time to introduce himself. He shyly got up from his chair and held out his hand. "Bruce Banner."
"Ah, the good Doctor," Rhodey grasped his hand firmly. "How's the Other Guy?"
Still getting used to people being so at ease around his counterpart, Bruce blinked in surprise, then stuttered an answer. "Um, well, uh, I-I… he's fine."
"Good to know."
Bruce smiled awkwardly. Clint was next. "Barton. Clint Barton."
"The famous Hawkeye."
"The one and only."
"Which means that you," he gestured to Natasha, "must be the deadly Black Widow."
"Your logic is sound," she confirmed.
"Well," Pepper started, "you already know me, so now that introductions are done, I think it's time to-"
"Crash the party? Good thinking Ms. Potts." Said a voice from behind them. Everyone turned to face a man with black rimmed glasses and sandy blonde hair dressed in a boring grey suit approach them with an odd smile on his face.
Tony grumbled. "I don't remember inviting you. Did I invite him Pepper?"
"You didn't invite anyone, I did. And no, I did not invite him."
"See! I didn't invite you."
The man laughed. "That's why it's called crashing a party, Mr. Stark. My, you've lost your touch with the modern slang these days." He turned to the occupants of the table. "Oh my, I've forgotten my manners! Allow me to introduce myself. I am Justin Hammer of Hammer Industries."
"Aren't you supposed to be in SHIELD custody?" Bruce piped up, having heard of the man from stories Tony had recounted.
Justin laughed. "Oh Brucie, how you amuse me. My lawyers got me out of there easy as pie!"
"Liar. You paid the cell holder to let you out didn't you?" Tony accused, tone unamused.
Justin looked aghast and placed a hand to his chest. "Why Tony, I'm shocked you would think so low of me. I would never do such a thing! I would, however, do this." He winked just as all hell broke loose.
The front doors flew open and hordes of paparazzi flew in, snapping pictures of everyone and everything. There were so many of them and they were suddenly everything, poking microphones in people's faces and trampling guests in their attempts at approaching the Avengers.
Tony glared at Justin. "You're lucky my suit's in the car or you would be under my boot right now Hammer."
"Ooh, is that a threat? I'm so scared." He taunted, before laughing and walking away.
Steve grabbed Tania's hand and yelled to everyone else over the now boisterous and crazy crowd. "We have to get out of here! Let's go out the back!" The Avengers made their way towards the other side of the room towards the stage where the back doors were. It was utter chaos inside and there were so many flashes that it was hard to see two feet in front of you.
After several minutes of laborious and polite pushing, the nine of them finally made it outside in a dark alley and away from the reporters basically trying to attack them and everyone in their way. Tony slammed the door behind them and flipped out his cell phone to call Happy.
Steve turned to his girlfriend. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. My hair took a bit of a beating but I didn't think it would last all night anyway." She shrugged and he smiled.
"Everyone else?"'
A chorus of "Good" and "We're fine" 's echoed around them. It was almost pitch black outside, seeing as it was the dead of night. It was also rather cold in the alley, and the girls were all starting to shiver, seeing as their dresses didn't have sleeves.
Well okay, Tania's had one, but it didn't do much. Pepper's dress was a dark teal colour and was covered in shiny gemstones that sparkled in the moonlight that gave off sort of a mermaid look. It was strapless and floor length and paired with an ocean blue shawl. Natasha's dress was classy and black, with spaghetti straps and lace zigzagging up her back. It was ankle length and had a pencil skirt-like style with a sweetheart neckline.
Steve, Tony, and Clint each gave them their jackets just as Tony's phone beeped. He checked it and cursed. "Damn it. Fury's calling the Avengers."
"Now?" Rhodey asked.
Tony patted the man's back. "Sorry Rhodey, looks like your birthday is officially ruined. Oh well, suit up. You're going to get the once in a lifetime privilege of fighting alongside the Avengers." Tony dragged Pepper into the waiting limo down the alleyway with Rhodey and the others trailing behind.